Elastic-flttid-ttjrbine assemblage



MaY 27, 1930-` A .1. H. DoRAN 1,760,545

ELASTIC FLUID TURBINE ASSEMBLAGE Filed Aug. 26, 1929 mlrrnrrnrmlrnrmlmlrn Inventorf: John' I -ILDor` an,

f l 5'@ I n J HLS Attorngg.

Patented May 27, 1930 `UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN r1. DORAN, or sCHENEC'r'ADY, NEW

YORK, AssIGNOR To GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK ELASTIG-FLUID-TURBINE .ASSEMBLAGE Application le-d August 26, 1929. Y Serial No. 388,459.

In the effort to save valuable iioor space i-n central power stations, and especially in those stations located within the limits of large cities, where the turbo-generators are of large Output, it has been proposed to divide the unit into two principal parts and to mount.

temperature unit, that the verticall expansion of it and its supporting parts will not adversely aii'ect the axial alignment.

My invention hasfor its Object to provide in such an assemblage an arrangement of\ parts which will reduce to a minimum the effects of unequal temperature changes of theI turbine units and generators on the alignment of the shafts connecting them.

For'a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying description and the claims appendedthereto. c

' In the drawing which is illustrative of my invention, Fig. 1 is a view in side elevatin of an installation comprising high and low pres- 85 sure turbine units, each driving an electric generator, and Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. y

3 indicates a low pressure turbine unit l*which is of the divided flow type, the steam from the high pressure unit entering at 4 and lowing'left and right to the exhaust conduits 5 and 6, which are connected to the condenser. 7 indicates the horizontal shaft of the turbine unit and 8 the casing of the generator, vthe rotor of which is driven by the shaft. v. 10 indicates a horizontal high pressure turbine unit to which steam or other high temperature elastic fluid is admitted by the conduit 11. 12 indicates the exhaust conduit which is connected to the inlet 4 of' the low pressure unit, in the interest of simplicity.

The high pressure turbine unit is supported above the low pressure unitand in order that they expansion of the metal in one shall have a Iminimum effect on the other', an arched member 13 is provided which bridges ory extends cross-wise of the low pressure unit and which may-be made in one or two pieces. This will depend largely upon the size of the units. When large it will be usually found desirable to make the arched member in two parts as in the present instances, to facilitateecasting and machining. Whether made in one or two parts, it is mounted on the casing of the low pressure -unit, and preferably at as low a point. as possible. 'I he member should be .made strong enough to sustain its load without appreciable change of shape., It is securelybolted in place at the iange along its lower edge.' lhe undersurfaceof the member is separated from the casing of the low pressure turbine by a suitable space through which air may be circulated for cooling purposes. Where the load on the member is very heavy it will be desirable to reinforce it on the Aunder side by suitable cross ribs to prevent its tendency to spread. This member will expandand contract in a vertical plane as well as' in other directions with changes of temperature.'

g g Mounted on the arched member is a pillow block 14 which carries oneof the bearings for the shaft of the high pressure unit. The casing 15 of the unit is provided with a pair of arms 16, one on each side, which are seated in openings in the pillow block and which support the unit at its inlet end. Each arm is connected to the block by a cross-key 17 which permits thecasing and its arms to expand and contract without restraint. rlhe pillow block is mounted tov slide longitudinally in gibs 18,*Fig. 2, and such sliding movethe pipe for this being omitted As the'arched member andA turbine casing heat, they expand in a vertical plane as well as in other directions, and this vertical expansion naturally 4raises the shaft by a certainamount which, though small, is of serious moment unless suitably compensated for. The generators 19 and 19 expand less than the turbine units, and especially so under v(changes in load. The neteifect is to raise the located between the adjacent ends of the two shafts and is intended to and does compensate for some lack of alignment. However, if the amount of misalignment 1s large it may cramp the coupling and cause excessive wear and also other and more serious damage. A similar coupling is provided for the low pressure turbine and its generator. To reduce the effects of the unequal xpansion'and contraction of the parts mentioned above, a support is provided which averages the expansions of the arched member and hot end of the turbine with that of the generator, and upon this support the pillow block and exhaust end of the turbine are mounted, and upon which they are anchored by the .crosskey 21, which preserves the initial setting while permitting the inlet or hot end of the turbine to slide in gibs 18. The support comprises a pair of parallel beams 22 and 23, which extend longitudinally of the turbines and are rigidly fastened to the arched member13 at one end and have a slidin connection with the generator casing 19 at t e other, as by means of top and bottom brackets 24, there being a suitable end clearancej for the beams as indicated at 25.` The, beams are connected by a third or cross-beam 2,6, which stiifens the structure andI which, with the side'beams, supports the turbine at its exhaust end and its pillow block 27, the latter being located approximatelylalf'way between the arched member land the generator casing and held by the cross-key 21 and a ,longitudinalkey in the vertical plane of the shaft. The generator shaft has a bearing 28 which is supported by the generator casing. By this arrangement the coupling 20, instead ofbeing subjected on the turbine side to the full effects of the vertical expansionv and contraction of the arched member and associated parts, and on lthe generator side to the vertical expansion and contraction of the generator casing, is subjected to only a .fraction of the total difference, the exact amount depending upon the location of the pillow block 27 and parts which support the l turbine casing with respect to the two oppo-v site ends oftheV ,beam support 22-23. By

properly positioning the parts and their. relation'one to the other in the manner shown, the-effects of the unequal expansion on' the coupling can be reduced to a negligible` amount. n

The beams 22-23 form a bridge between the arched cross-member 13 and the casing of the generatorand because of their shape and position maybe made as strong as 1s necessary. The beams are also free to slide on the generator brackets 24 as they expand and contract. Being spaced above the right hand part of the casing of the low pressure unit they may be cooled in any suitable way, if desired.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a turbine installation, the combina- 'tion of a low pressure turbine unit, a high pressure turbine unit, an apparatus driven by each unit, a coupling which unites the shaft of the high pressure unit with that of its driven apparatus,- a supporting member for one end of the high pressure unit which is carried by the casing of the low pressure unit and is in spaced relation thereto, and a longitudinally extending means which supports the other end of the high pressure unit, is secured to themember at one end and is slidingly supported by said driven apparatus at the other end.

2. In a turbine installation, the combination of a low pressure turbine unit, a high pressure turbine unit, an apparatus/ driven thereby, a coupling which unites the shaft of the high pressure unit with that of the apparatus, an arched member which bridges the low pressure unit, is supported by its casing, and supports the inlet end of the high l pressure unit, and a pair of longitudinally extending beams which support the exhaust end of the high pressure unit, are secured to the arched member at one end and are mountf ed to slide longitudinally onthe said apparatus at the other end.

3. In a turbo-generator installation, the combination of'high and low pressure turbine units, the former being mounted above the latter, a generator driven by each of said units, the generators being arranged one above the other, said units and generators expanding unequallyunder working conditions, a member which extends cross-wise of the low pressure unit, is carried by the casing thereof and supports one end of the high rpressure unit, a longitudinally extending support Vfor the other end of said high pressure unit, which is supported at one end by the member and at the other end by the casing of a generator.

4. In a turbine installation, the combination of high and low pressure turbine units arranged one above the other, an apparatus driven by each of the units which are also arranged one above the other, an arched member which extends crossewise of the low pressure unit, rests at its lower ends on the casing thereof, and supports one end of the high pressure unit, spaced longitudinal beams which support the other end of the high pressure unit, are fastened to the arched member at one end and are mounted to slide longitudinally on the casings of the apparatus ldriven by said units at the other end.

5. In a turbine installation, the embina' tion of a low pressure turbine unit, an ap paratus driven thereby, an arched member which bridges the easing of said unit, a high pressure unit located above the low pressure unit which isslidingly supported at one end on the member, an apparatus driven by the high pressure unit which is located above that driven by the other unit, beams which are fastened to the member at one end, means carried `by the apparatus upon which the other ends of the beams are free to slide due to temperature changes, and means carried by the beams at a point intermediate between 5 their ends for holding one end of the casing of the high pressure unit in fixed position While permitting the other end to slide on the member. v l In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set myhand this 23rd day of August, 1929.

` JOHN H. DORAN.' 

